Weatherby has raised (or perhaps lowered) the bar for lightweight mountain rifles with the introduction of the Mark V Backcountry Capra. Starting at just 4 pounds, the Backcountry Capra is, at press time, the lightest production bolt-action rifle available and sets a new benchmark for backcountry performance without compromise.
When designing the Backcountry Capra, the Weatherby team went back to the drawing board to answer a simple question. How light can a rifle be without sacrificing accuracy, shootability or durability?
At the core of the Capra are Weatherby's 6-lug short and 6-lug standard Mark V actions, precision machined from titanium. Titanium offers an unmatched strength-to-weight ratio and is naturally corrosion resistant, making it ideal for extended hunts in harsh environments. Historically, the 6-lug short-action was limited to the Varmintmaster Deluxe, but its relaunch in 2025 with compatibility for the .308 case family unlocked the foundation for a true ultralight mountain rifle.
Extensive barrel development led to the Capra's thin-contour barrel with double spiral fluting that forms a double helix. This design removes the maximum amount of material while increasing rigidity and surface area. The result is faster cooling, improved stiffness and consistent sub-MOA accuracy. Each chambering is offered with optimized barrel lengths, all thoroughly tested to ensure ballistic performance remains outstanding despite shorter profiles.
To further reduce weight, Weatherby partnered with Peak 44 to evolve the ultralight Blacktooth stock into the new Bridger stock. The Bridger eliminates the hinged floorplate and introduces Weatherby's first commercially available blind magazine Mark V. This change significantly reduces weight while delivering a clean, minimalist profile. Additional weight saving cutouts and a shortened fore-end further enhance packability without sacrificing ergonomics.
Managing recoil in an ultralight rifle presents one of the greatest engineering challenges. The Capra features a 3D Hex recoil pad with a honeycomb structure designed to crush felt recoil. Combined with balanced stock geometry and a crisp breaking TriggerTech trigger, the Capra remains comfortable and easy to shoot. The barrel is threaded to accept a suppressor or the included Accubrake ST for added recoil control.
Each Backcountry Capra is hand painted, and all metal components are finished in durable Cerakote to ensure long term protection in extreme backcountry conditions.
Available Chamberings
6-Lug Short Action Starting at 4.0 Pounds with 17-inch Barrel
- 25 Creedmoor
- 6.5 Creedmoor
- .308 Win.
6-Lug Standard Action Starting at 4.4 Pounds with 21-inch Barrel
- 240 Wby. Mag.
- 25 WBY RPM
- 6.5 Creedmoor
- 6.5 WBY RPM
- .270 Win.
- .280 ACK IMP
To learn more about the lightweight new Capra series, go to weatherby.com. MSRP: $3,499
